A fateful enconter
by TheJonesStories
Summary: Klarion, the god of Chaos, is tasked with bringing his bratty brother, Nabu back to the realm of Gods. They've fought each other through the centuries and when Nabu takes it to far Klarion looses Teekl in an alternate dimension. When he brings him back Kalrion realized he's brought more than he bargained for...
1. A battle for fate

Okay this is my young justice story, hope you enjoy. (I only own what's mine.)

(Klarion's POV)

We were outside the house of fate, or more accurately on top of it. Our battle for the helmet had led us through the twisted house of tricks and up to the roof. If you ignored the shouting, mostly from myself, and the death glare from the brat that still even after seeing me, refused to believe in magic, it was a fairly nice night. The sky was a dark blue, broken by the light or my magic or Nabu's and the wind had died down, now glowing gentle, almost cautiously as it danced between us. Nabu, like he always did refused to notice, content on looking down at me while he floated high in the air, the small human body of the pathetic non believer was easily suspended with little to no magic, but his refusal to believe in us seemed to take its toll and my once so powerful brother was bouncing, like the brat was trying to force Nabu out of his head. We had been engaged in battle for only a few minutes and I was just as ready to zap out as the brat was... Like this was some type of show Nabu takes the lead.

"Give it up Klarion!" Nabu shouts as we engaged in yet another century of keep away.

I sighed internally and wished I could roll my eyes; sometimes he got way to into this...

These rolls.

The ones we'd been given, forced to play. Century after boring century trying and evidently failing to get that stupid helmet. It wasn't supposed to be like this, I was sent her to grab my idiot brother and bring him back but of course, Nabu turns it into this stupid game and plays me as the bad guy. Using and latching onto these stupid mortals like he wasn't draining the life from them.

Did these idiots not know the true meaning of sacrifice?!

When a mortal uses magic they must give something of equal value back to whatever source they're borrowing it from, and let me just point out that every god, and I mean EVERY GOD, I've ever met is an asshole and takes far more treasures than they deserve. But they throw themselves at Nadu's feet and worship them like he's a god.

HA!

My stupid brothers, not a god, he's a spoiled brat!

God. What I'd give to take a break from it all...

In the back of my head I feel a slight stinging sensation, a magic whiplash of sorts as Teekl deliberately pulls too hard on the bond, snapping me out of my self-induced pity party and back into the fight, a good thing too as not long after I hear Nabu finish his sentence the fight breaks out.

"-I am bound to this helmet and use a physical host, but that is not your way."

I reach back, gently caressing Teekl through the bond as a silent thank you, not letting my emotions get in the way of this battle… or trying not to as he continues to treat me like a child. I was five Millenniums older than he was!

"You're babbling Nabu!" I growl and glared at my brother, if I could see his face I'd bet Nabu was laughing at me.

My patience was running thin and Nabu, knowing this from years of practice, reveled in this. He was using my anger for his dark ways and throwing it back in my face with cheap shots and stupid words.

What was so good about using a host?

They live longer?

Yes, because Nabu seals away their spirit inside the helmet and refuses to release it until a stronger more able body comes. The realm inside the helmet is timeless, the soul never ages and Nabu heals any injures sustained in battle so unless the host is sick, developed cancer or something the host could live for centuries.

Do they get a taste of magic?

Yes, but at the cost of their own soul. Every person using magic goes straight to hell, mortals are not meant to have the power of gods and ignoring that rule has consequences. He makes them suffer for his own fun, it makes me sick.

I, like forever, have gotten the short end of the stick once again. Forced to dance in the shadows of my brothers failures and mistakes like they were anything but that. Mistakes. Well maybe not mistakes, as mistakes are something you do by accident, Nabu does this on purpose and thrills off my anger. He was budded the lord of order, keeping the peace, while I was named the lord of chaos. A cruel twist of fate no doubt. As I was the one keeping everyone safe and he was messing with the balance of this delicate world.

Why was I so bad anyway? What had I done that deemed me worthy of such a degrading title? The lord of chaos? I think the lord of 'chasing my brothers spoiled ass around the cosmos' would have been a far more fitting title but even that had its down sides. I may be a lord of chaos but at least I'm fair. I've never given a human magic before and that somehow makes me the bad guy?! Yes, I've crushed a few cities, and damned a few souls to an eternity in hell... but that was only to stop my idiotic younger brother from doing something really stupid...

I had been so caught up in my own thoughts, my body working on autopilot that I barely catch the last of Nabu's sentence before a stinging pain rips through my body Teekl once again pulling me back into the fight, but this time with much more urgency as when I look I see a ball of magic coming straight at me. I threw up a shield as Nadu summoned attack after attack, shielding most of them but in my fluster I failed to notice the last attack wasn't on me but on my familiar.

Teekl.

I feel the rip of pain like I haven't felt in a while; it was one thing to engage in a semi-friendly battle among brothers, even using a human or two but for Nabu to attack my familiar was beyond cruel. Not only was it a low move but a gamble on my life. I had put half my life force into Teekl to lock myself to this human plane and he attacks it like it's not going to hurt me. Not was the physical pain down right excruciating but it killed me as my own brother would take a gamble on my life just so I wouldn't take him back. I had always hated Nabu for his choices but I would never hurt him like that… never put his life in danger. The utter betrayal of that fact burned like nothing I'd ever felt, like my heart was ripping in two as Nabu and the human celebrated this victory, a battle now won.

"I can't believe you'd attack a defenseless pussy cat!"

It was half true. While Teekl was my link he was in every sense just a cat. A cat that had done more for me than anyone else had ever done, even my own father. I wanted to keep him hidden, waiting safely inside a pocket dimension while I fought, just so I knew he was safe but Teekl refused, breaking out of the dimension with his own magic just to stay at my side. The close he was the faster I could syphon power, the quicker I could make attacks. He put himself in harm's way just to keep me safe and Nabu had just shot him…

"We both know that creature is no cat witch boy," I glare harder at my brother, using that god awful nickname like it meant nothing, like it brought back nothing even standing here I couldn't suppress the cold shiver that ran down my spine "without your familiar you have no anchor in this reality."

It took a moment, a brief moment for Nabu to finish his sentence and wait, just a second before the actions of our fight hit me, the pain and damage inflicted on Teekl traveled though the bond in record speed and reverberated through my body, ripping and tearing at my insides like a double edged knife, I'd laugh if this had hurt more than his words did. But laughing would have to wait as I curled over, half in pain from the aftershock of Teekl's pain and my own, currently put aside as I cough up black blood.

A heavy weight on my chest as I struggled to take in a breath, damn, the aftershocks must have nicked a lung. While gods didn't have to breathe, we were immortal for a reason, I was forced to take in a more human form to adapt to this world and was forced to play by their rules so to speak, this human form while impenetrable to human technology was susceptible to higher forms of magic, ones only my brother seemed to possess. It was a blessing and a curse. The damage seemed to take its toll on Teekl as well; my human body was starting to flicker out of this reality and my magic along with it. In order to not get trapped between world or hell, the vortex I transport, using what magic I had left to scope up and Teekl and vanish, slipping Into the vortex with ease, my body vaporizing into a pure form of magic and slipped through the cracks of reality before we formed back together.

The vortex was unlike any place you'd ever seen, with constant swirling colors, mixing, blending into the fabric of reality, creating new worlds, new possibilities, new lives as others unfolded, slipping out and fading into the light to start again once more. I had traveled for many places, seen things that no one else had ever seen and still this place took my breath away. If it wasn't so dangerous I would stay here forever tucked away in the streams of colors. The tricky part was finding your way out, if you head into a new dimension then you have to set up a permanent link between the vortex and the world, if you don't you could leave on a disintegrating loop and cease to exist as we know it, lost in eternal nothingness. Sometimes it sounds tempting...

This would yet again be another failure father would put on my chest. Like I wasn't out fighting for my life every time I went to that god damn place of hell. I'd rather be in Hell, ruling over my domain in peace. But no, I was out here hunting down my brother like some common lap dog, I was a fucking **God** and this is what he had me doing!

I sneer in anger at my father, for sending me out here. My brother, for acting like such a child and forcing father to send me out here after him. For the stupid humans that thought we were nothing but an urban myth. For the other Gods that did nothing but look down on me with laughter and amusement in their eyes, finally content with my "new job" that fit my godly status. Those pathetic armatures never could measure up to me and chose to whisper childish banter of hatred in the darkness.

I wanted to slaughter them all, every person that ever laughed at me, every person that ever looked down on me or thought little or me, I wanted to slaughter my father and my brother and finally be free of this damn family… my eternal curse.

As I pushed on, trying to shut down the pain, Teekl had passed out long ago and even pinned against my chest I could feel our bond fluctuating, affecting my body as well. The damage of the fight, the lack of air I could seem to take with each painful breathe and the utter rage for the world seemed to take its toll. Black spots danced before my eyes, making my arms go numb, a horrifying fact as Teekl slipped, his unconscious frame sliding from my arms and into the vortex. Without my magic he falls, slipping through a stream of colours and into the fabrics of an unknown reality.

"Teekl!" I scream, lashing out with the last of my powers.

A large red claw aimed for my familiar but I miss, narrowly grabbing his tail for a sliver of hope before the magic takes its toll. The last of my energy used up as the arm fades, dropping Teekl and my consciousness into darkness.

"Teekl," I mutter weakly "... hold on."

(Sophia's POV)

"Whoa!" I yell and the suddenly calm night starts blowing thundering winds, winds so strong it pushes me back a few steps, in all honestly I was very surprised it didn't blow me off my feet "what the hell?!" There hadn't been any mention of a thunderstorm.

I threw a hand over my face, trying to block out the strong wind. I turned my head, trying to breathe; the wind was so strong it hurt to suck it in. Old newspapers and fliers flew passed my head, rolling down the street, empty pop cans and garbage from a torn bag ran into my feet, tripping me once again and this time taking me to my knees, I reach up grabbing onto a window ledge and look up, watching as the wind pushed the clouds into a spiral. The pieces all blending into one as they grew higher into the sky, thunder shook the ground, forcing my hands off the ledge and over my ears.

When I looked up again I notice a ball of light falling through the clouds, red and angry looking. It didn't look to large, I hoped not as it would only cause more destruction and could do little more but helplessly watch our impending deaths. Then, out of nowhere the wind stops, the howling dies down the thunder disappears and the clouds spread apart, moving back into the sky like nothing had ever happened. I pause, blinking once in confusion as I looked around, the peaceful night just as it was. I blink, trying to catch my breath as I pulled myself off the sidewalk. I scream loudly as a large explosion shakes the ground, the force knocking me to the ground again as a powerful after shock rips through the air, shattering the glass window shops, the screamed again, throwing my hands over my head as the glass rains down on me. I lay there in fear, waiting for the second after shock to come, for the sound of sirens to wail in the distance and police cruisers to speed down the street but nothing happens.

The only sound is my heavy breathing as I lay on the ground, covered in small shards of glass. I look around slowly, seeing other windows broken and glass on the road; a few windows on parker cars were smashed to pieces, older cars that seemed to have no alarms. I blink once, wanting to drop my head but I don't in fear of receiving a face full of glass. Instead I roll over, with greater difficulty as my backpack was in the way but manage to get into the road. I stand up and remove my clothes, my jacket and sweater and look around for the smell of smoke and the large fires lighting up the sky as I shook out the glass.

Fuck, were we being invaded?

I turn, lifting up my backpack and reach into the side pocket, pulling out my flashlight and flicking it on, the sudden wind had also shattered the streetlights and the whole block was suddenly darker than before. I pause, placing the flashlight against my chest in hopes that it would slow the fast pounding of my heart and after I work up my nerves, flick it on, turning as I go and look down into the dark alley. Thankfully, there weren't any aliens, or tiny hovering spaceships floating in the air, just some scattered boxes and garbage littered the alley. I scope the whole alley, moving the beam of light around in the hopes that I'd see something before it jumped out at me.

Had I imagined it?

Even if it wasn't aliens, a meteor would have caused more damage than this. Had it hit another block? Or a building perhaps?

As I was thinking of walking to the next alley soft sounds rings through my ears. I pause, waiting to see if some small little green guy would be popping out of the air with some complicated laser gun to zap me into a pile of dust but to my surprise, the sound comes again, this time more clearly, as a box moves. I step forwards, lift the beam of light onto the box and watch as it shakes back and forth, I step forwards slowly and using my foot gently kick the box off the top of the pile, the others fall down with it and I step back, focusing the beam back in the spot.

"Oh, you poor thing," I whisper lovingly as I gaze down at a small injured tabby cat.

It must have fallen from the pile of boxes or was hit when the wind picked up. I pull off my backpack, setting the flashlight on the ground and unzip my bag, pushing my binder out of the way to reach the medical kit at the bottom, I grab that pull out a blanket, setting the blanket on my lap and open the heavy plastic box, Christina always made me carry one around in case of an emergency, and using my teeth rip open a pair of rubber gloves and place them on, snapping them into places as I reach for some gauze. Tearing that open as well before reaching for some disinfectant, the brown bottle on the other side of the case, and pull a large plastic sheet out of the top, laying it on the ground so I had somewhere clean to look over the cat.

I'd already noticed blood on the ground with the second look. I reach over, gently rolling the cat over onto the plastic mat, my fingers sliding under it as I place gauze over the wound so it wouldn't make contact with the mat. Clean or not I didn't want to put more stuff into the wound. It makes a painful whine as I push against the flow and grab the flashlight, placing it between my teeth and shutting my mouth so I wouldn't drool. I carefully check if they were any other wounds, finding only light scratches that I poked at carefully with the disinfectant to see if they were possibly bleeding, I felt sort of stupid doing this but it seemed the cat had rolled in the blood and was covered in dirt and bloody mud, next I found a few tender spots in the ribs but thankfully his lungs were okay as his chest rose and fell ever few seconds.

I roll the cat over, mindful of its spine and flash the light in the wound, grabbing a new set of cotton swabs and gently feeling around the semi deep scratch, lifting up the ripped flesh and fur to look inside. Realizing pretty quickly that nothing was embedded in the fur I place the gauze back on the wound to halt the blood flow, lifting my hand briefly to wrap him in and towel before its back on there, my other hand carefully scooped it up. I use my foot to hook the strap of my backpack and slid it on my shoulder before walking a little faster to my house with the flashlight in my mouth.

(Artimus's POV)

"Wally?" I yell, running onto the rooftop.

My shoulder finally slamming the door down, I hit the ground, knocking the breath out of myself but I ignore the pain and the momentary fear that always accompanied having no air in your lungs and roll into the roof top, giving myself little time to survey the scene as I'd reach back during the roll to pull out an arrow, fully expecting the witch boy to be there but stop when I turn and see one wizard, doctor fate floating in the air and the witch boy, Klarion, nowhere to be seen. Scorch marks burned the walls and floor, craters littered the ground, and the air was still tingling with electricity. Clearly a great fight had taken place in my absence.

My eyes fall on a body on the other side of the roof, my mind panicking as I feared the worst. While the speedster was fast the idiot could do little against a fully-fledged demon from hell and if Kaldur's stories about sorcerers and magicians from other dimensions was enough to put me on edge with any magic users, good or evil. I could only guess what Klarion might have done to him. Had he been hit during the fight? Was he even breathing?!

I dive, sliding across the rooftop with the grace that only an assassin would have and come to a stop over top of him. I sigh once, half in relief and half in sorrow as the the body wasn't Wally's like I'd feared but Mr. Kent Nelsons, the previous doctor fate. My fingers went on his neck as I searched for a pulse. When I found none I pull my hand away, silently honoring Mr. Kent before I froze, now out of fear. If Kent was here… where was Wally?

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I turn, looking up at doctor fate, a person I'd originally thought was Nelson and pale slightly as I take in the thinner frame. The toned legs and stick like frame of Wally. The smaller body floating absently in the air, bobbing up and down like Fate was waiting to see if Klarion would return or some other trouble would break out.

I understood why Wally put on the helmet, but even after defeating Klarion my heart sunk, even more when I realized I'd have to tell his mentor about Wally's fate... I was his partner and I let him down.

We'd lost him to fate.

The irony was almost laughable.

I put my bow away and went to pull out my communicator when Doctor Fate glowed brightly. As if breaking out of a trance Fate finally notices me, Wally's head shifts in my direction and I roll, pulling out my bow and an exploding arrow as Fate makes a sudden descent to the ground. I had frozen, arrow pulled back and armed as I waited to Fate to make the first move, silently ignoring the bead of sweat rolling down the back of my neck and the beating of my heart. I would lose if I fought against him, even in his weaker state Fate was still a God.

Thankfully Fate doesn't attack, only lowers Wally's body to the ground before he reaches up, removing the helmet and releasing my loudmouthed pain in the ass teammate from his hold.

My mouth fell open as I looked into the goofy and now slightly embarrassed eyes of Wally West, AKA Kid Flash.

"Wha..." I release the weapon and shutting off the charge my body was working but my mind failed to find the words "How?!"

"The old man took my place, so Doctor Fate let me go," Wally states with a shrug, my mouth remained open as I fought to comprehend what had just happened.

Did Wally not realize he almost lost his soul?! To the God of Fate no less! And if he did why the hell was he being so casual about it? A part of my mind hoped it was denial, hiding away the fear of actually comprehending the outcome of his actions; the other thought maybe that was Wally. Not one to wallow in fear or 'what ifs' and let his mind and thoughts move as fast as his feet.

"Artemis?" Wally chuckles "I know my good looks are hard to resist but if you don't shut your mouth you'll start drooling."

At this notion I shut my mouth, giving Wally a hard smack to the back of the head and pull out my communicator. It was time to let the team know we were all right.

* * *

No sooner had we stepped foot in mount justice had M'gann ambushed us. Even with Kaldur's warnings, our Atlantean teammate graciously volunteered to meet us half way, on the way back it was a surprise, the Martian female no doubt reading our minds and positioned her to attack right when the door opened. I was very surprised she did phase right through the door.

"Oh my gosh!" M'gann squeals, picking me up in a rough hug before spinning me around the room at impossible speeds "You two are okay!"

I would have asked what two meant but somehow Wally had been added into the hug per spin and I found myself squished against the speedster in an awkward way.

"Uh M'gann, can't breathe!" I wheeze out as her grip tightens.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" M'gann squeaks and drops both of us on the floor.

The other male's chuckle at the well-known mishaps of the female Martian, as the female often forgot her own strength and I feel a gentle pair of arms wrap around my waist. I turn and see Kaldur lifting me up with what looked like effortless strength.

"Are you two alright?" Robin chuckles, his voice running through my ears "Sorry about that, we tried to reel her in."

"We're fine." I state and rub my sore chest; we had already filled Batman in on the basis of the event, Wally as well, adding in details I wasn't there for on the walk back. Red tornado a friend of Kent's volunteered to retrieve the body, he would make sure the proper accommodations were made "But my ribs might not be..."

At this moment I envied Wally's healing abilities. M'gann, while a Martian was almost on par with Kaldur's strength, far past the abilities of a human. I doubted they were broken, the pain not that intense but they were badly bruised as I had been in the crushing hug longer than Wally was, if I lifted up my shirt there would be dark bruises forming already. M'gann mad a small noise as she apologised again, I smile and wave her off, the bruises would heal in time.

"I can take a look at them if you want" Once again reminding me that he was trained in Atlantean healing magic as well as combat.

I look at him and chuckle, my eyes watching M'gann leave to make cookies as another apology, Wally's idea no doubt and force myself to take in a larger breath, wincing in pain again.

"I think I'll be alright, I've had worse injuries than this," I smile but hold my ribs once more, the aching not letting up even a little "… On second thought, that might be a good idea."

* * *

I cringe when he touches my ribs, the magic was warm but the bruises were still tender. It seemed I was still jumpy around magic, a fact that Kaldur seemed to notice.

"Are you sure you're okay," Kaldur asks calmly, I turn and look at him slowly.

I had filled him in on what had happened and hidden away from the rest of the team I didn't have to hide. I didn't have to push my feelings down and work with a team; it was just two people that understood the meaning of pain. Me, being the daughter of Sports Master and him, the son of black manta. No one else knew about it, not even Kaldur at first but I stole some of dad's files on well-known criminals and after a favor from Jade, I knew the truth. Kaldur didn't believe me at first, I mean who would, but after I came clean about my past he finally faced the truth. The team thought it was something Wally had done, the speedster set on pranking the Atlantean after Kaldur had foiled yet another plan of his but after looking over the files I had given him, a long heart to heart with King Orem and a brief adjustment period, where Kaldur took a few weeks off to visit Atlantis and clear his head, Kaldur knocked on my door.

"I don't know." I sigh and cringe slightly at the tender flesh but after Kaldur deems the treatment done he removes his hands off my ribs but keeps them on my hips. I roll down my shirt and look at him "I mean Wally's a pest I know, but I really thought I lost him today and it… freaked me out. Like the pain I felt when my mother and Jade left."

Kaldur, ever so calm stood quiet, healing my ribs and listening to my tale. Only speaking up on certain points that needed more clarifying then fell silent, contemplating everything I'd said. I sat still trying not to squirm as I felt the room grow silent, wondering if his response she be taking as long as it was to determine but looking at him Kaldur looked fine, his eyes closed, hands still on my hips as he quietly mulled over the information. When he's done his eyes open, ever soft as he looks down at me, whispering it so softly that it took a moment for his words to register.

"Could you have feelings for him?"

I snort feelings for Wally? Yeah right. My mind instantly shuts down the thought like it had with everyone else, a safe guard of sorts to keep my heart safe.

"No, that's impossible."

The words had spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them and Kaldur, knowing me only looked unconvinced, eye brow rising in question.

"The same impossible as Martians showing up on earth, or Atlantean's using water as weapons or the fact that two children of the worlds most wanted criminals are fighting for justice, not violence? That, impossible?"

If I hadn't known better I'd say Kaldur had cracked a joke. It was hard to tell as his tone remained the same but his eyes sparkled with laughter. I smile and gently punch his chest. My smile falls when I sigh, keeping my hand there and flattening it out into a palm. My fingers feeling the firm toned flesh and muscle under the thin water-proof fabric. His hands tighten slightly on my hips, a reminder that he was here and always would be for me but says nothing. Letting me come out at my own time, or, say nothing at all. In reality, I had said enough but that didn't stop the sinking feeling in my chest.

"After Jade left I had a hard time trusting people." I whisper, my hand still on his body and my eyes on my hand "Everyone I'd loved had left me. My father beat us every day, training us to be the best we could without holding back. There were some nights I couldn't move and he'd just leave me on the floor. It was so cold." I shake my head to push away the memories but find the tears weren't that easily lost "I joined this team as a chance to start over, to have a different life and I told myself that I'd stay detached, let things fall as they may but I was a fool." Kaldur rubs my hips in a silent encouragement to continue "I thought I could have a family again one I wouldn't lose."

"But we almost did," Kaldur finally speaks "we almost lost Wally to Doctor Fate."

I pull my hand away and jump off the table, properly fixing my shirt now that Kaldur's hands were out of the way

"And I know it stupid," I sigh and grab my arms "I mean we're superheroes for crying out loud, this job is dangerous, people have died. I can't tell you how many heroes my dad has personally wiped off the map but for a second-" my voice cracks as the tears come back, I clench my fist and will myself not to cry, like I had back then. I promised myself I'd be strong "for a second I let myself believe that this time it could be different."

I feel Kaldur's strong hands over mine once more and seconds after I'm gently pulled into his strong chest. The hands slide behind my back as the first time in forever I'd let the tears fall, knowing I'd be safe in his arms.

"I think after this," Kaldur says, rubbing my back lovingly, "I think you should go see him."

I didn't have to ask who.

(Sophia's POV)

"Is it going to be okay?" I ask, watching my friend before I finish the last of the stitches.

"Yes, he'll be fine," Christina states, pulling her glasses off her face with gloved hands.

" _So it's a boy"_ I think as I glance around the room, the cats X-Rays were hanging on the screen as she looks over his spinal cord and other bones.

I looked up at her, finishing the final stitch before knotting it off twice and cutting it. I took the cat back to our house, my roommate and I were second-year university students, well I was, Christina was a third-year veterinarian and was even taking classes in an animal shelter. I could do this on my own but this was the first time I'd actually performed on a living animal and looked to her for guidance.

"Good job," Christina states, making me jump as she came out of nowhere, a piece of bloody gauze between tweezers as she dabs away a little more blood "He should stay sedated for a few days, to let the wound settle but after some rest he should make a full recovery." I nod and place down the scissors "Where did you find him again?"

"In a back alley, under a few old boxes." I state and start cleaning up the workstation "I think they fell on him."

I wanted to talk about the sudden storm but seeing as it lasted thirty seconds and I was the only one there I decided to leave it out. I'd gotten home and turned on the news, looking at the weather to see if anyone else had seen anything but, nothing. It was like it never happened. I pulled off my gloves and ran my hand over my hair, gently feeling the elastic band I'd placed in there and wondered if I'd made it up.

She lifted up his head, running her fingers over the place where the non-existing collar should have been.

"Are you sure there wasn't a collar?" she asks, feeling the soft fur more "He seems very well kept and healthy for an alley cat."

I glance at him, noticing this for the first time too. Even though he was covered in blood, his fur was nicely cut, well-groomed and he wasn't skinny and weak like other abandoned cats. I'd brought home quite a few strays in my time, which was half the reason we became vets, the need to help these sick animals burned in my soul.

"There's no insects or ticks on him either." she states "Living in that part of the city he should be matted and crawling with bugs."

"Well I could go back and check tomorrow but I didn't notice anything on the ground," I state and place the bloody gauze in a bowl before dousing it in cleaner and setting it on fire.

I push the bowl into the middle of the table and wait patiently for it to die out. If it was still burning after two minutes I had a lid ready to smother the flames. Chrissy nods once and puts away the gloves, calmly filling out the report she'd send into her teachers on Monday. After the flames die out I place the lid on the bowl for good measure and gently place a clean blanket over the cat. Chrissy had wrapped his wounds up prior to this and after glancing around the room once more I nod, heading up the stairs with my roommate for the evening.

After today, I really needed some sleep.

Okay, Read and Review. Peace!

xxxxTheJonesStoriesxxx


	2. A cat, a god, a death

(Klarion's POV)

I woke up slowly, my head was pounding, my throat felt like I'd swallowed glass, my chest was on fire, the rest of my body was throbbing as my hands slid across the silky soft fabrics of my sheets. The smooth material woven from the clouds themselves and the bed, a large plush king size fit for, well, a king. The soft comforting hold of my pillows holding my head tenderly like a loving mother cuddling her newborn. The sheets draped over my body were warm, unusually warm and I noticed with a weak grasp of my second hand that a fuzzy heavier blanket had been added. I feel a cool material placed over my head as one of the handmaidens places a wet cloth on my forehead. Her soft voice shushing me back to sleep, I wanted too, I really did. The bed was so soft, the pillows all but begging to rock me back to sleep and the promise of her words to watch over me while I slept. It was all really good, perfect almost but my fingers slid out, expecting to feel the soft warm ball of fur beside me hand. I was half surprised she wasn't laying on my chest but when my fingers only felt more sheets my eyes flew open. The soul crushing realization of last nights events came flying back to me in an instant.

The fight, the pain, the vortex, loosing Teekl.

"Teekl" 'I scream desperately.

All of it hit me at once and I felt my body convulse, then recoil as I snapped upwards, the fire in my chest acting up as I tried desperately to find Teekls energy source. My eyes flew around the bed, a large black bear fur blanket was added over me and even though I remembered I could help smacking the blanket, like a stupid child hoping my familiar would magically pop out of the blanket and come back to me. I had smacked the sheets a few times, twisting and turning, trying to ignore the pain in my chest as I smacked some more before a pair of hands were on me, pushing me back down as the frantic nurse tried desperately to subdue me.

"Master Klarion, you're badly injured please stop moving!"

"Teekl!" I yell and am forced down again.

In my struggle I finally notice white bandages wrapped around my naked torso and right wrist, an IV was stuck into the skin and held with tap as black and gold liquid flowed down it and into my body. I wanted to stop, my chest felt like it was on fire, black liquid was to seep through the wrap on my chest as each turn ripped out the stitched muscles and what ever else Nabu hit. My chest felt like a elephant was sitting on it and during the struggle I'd ripped out the IV but besides the pain, the need to breathe and heal my body the need to find Teekl was greater.

"Lord Klarion please calm down!" A second female voice shouts, grabbing hold of me as well.

During my struggles three more nurses had come into the room, forcing me back to the bed like I was nothing more than a child.

"Release me!" I scream out "I must find Teekl!"

"Klarion!" my fathers loud voice boomed, shocking both myself and the nurses as he portals into the room, activating a seal to hold to to the bed. I feel a burning pain than nothing as he freezes my limbs with old magic. Magic, that I didn't know.

Enraged I lashed out, activating my powers in an attempt to force them back, but my other half, currently lost in god knows were wasn't around and the other half of the power, the balance, was gone and my powers snapped back at me instead. Traveling five times as fast. My body broke, my back arching up on pain like I'd felt only a few times before, my eyes wide open and my mouth gasping for air that my lungs wouldn't take. I could feel warm liquid running out my mouth, my eyes and my nose as my unbalanced magic turned on me.

"Klarion!" My fathers concerned voice yells, and suddenly all the pains gone. All the warm liquid, all the pain, all the fear, the hands of the nurses.

* * *

I pause, panting slowly as I look around. We were on his astral plane.

Damn it.

"Release me father!" I yell, enraged that I'm all too powerless in this state "I must find Teekl!"

"Do not raise your voice at me boy!" He booms once more, a gist of wind pushes against me and I'm forced back a few steps. I wanted to yell, to scream but I hold my tongue, bowing my head in respect of my father. The wind calms down and the light sky returns to a calm blue "Your trust in that beast has always been your down fall."

I bite back the comeback. His voice was like Nabu's and I couldn't help but anger at the tone.

"He is not a beast father he's my-"

"Familiar, I know" he cuts me off, his voice was less than pleased "you and your brothers ** _obsession_** with these creatures is beyond me..."

"It's the only way I can hold my form in the human world, you were the one that made that law."

"Do not mock me boy!" He yells, the wind pushing me back into a wall, I cough up blood as I fall into my hands and knees. I hack up blood and wait to see if there's more punishment, if i wasnt already dying i was certain there would have been "not only have you failed to bring back your brother, yet again." Thunder crackled through the sky "but you made me come get you out of he vortex." I sit down by keep my hands on the ground and my head bent "you are not strong enough to get your familiar, you will rest until you are better than we will look at fixing your mistake."

I glare at the ground, digging my fingers into the dirt in anger. I wanted to yell at him. Why did I have to get my brother?! I was the lord to chaos, not a fucking bounty hunter. If he wanted Nabu back to badly why not cast a law and force him off the human plane himself. He could do that, but he doesn't and makes me do it like I'm some common lap dog not his oldest son. Instead of saying something that could get me killed I nod once, pushing back the tears and find myself falling back to my body. I'm back, moments later. On the bed and alone once more in my room. I couldn't sense any maids outside the corridor but could feel my fathers power on the door. Locked in. Turning my head into the pillow I let myself do something I hadn't done in forever. Cry.

I felt so alone. I couldn't feel Teekl and it scared me more than I wanted to admit. I'd lost him before, a few times when I was younger. Nabu thought it was funny to hide him from me or when we got separated in a fight but I could always feel his presence, calling out to me like a lost kitten. But now, I reached out , expecting someone to be there and falling, reaching and falling until I could do little more but sit there in silence wonder why.

(Sophia pov)

I walked downstairs. Opening the door and walking over to the table. My fingers ran over the smaller fluffy body and run through the usual tests. Taking his temperature, blood pressure, checking the stitches, remove and replacing the gauze, adding ointment and giving him another shot of painkillers. He arrived two days ago and was doing better than we'd hoped, the wound was healing unbelievably fast and in a few days the stitching could come out. I had gone back to alley I found him in and looked all over. Went through the trash, moved boxes and checked the next block over too by nothing. I sighed, running my fingers over his head. The small creature was still out cold, sleeping soundly.

"What am I going to do with you little guy?" I ask, lying my head on my free arm "your owner must be worried sick."

My fingers pause when they hit something sticky. I sit up, pulling my hand back to see this black tar like substance. Did he have an infection? If he did what the hell was it? I pull the cat up and roll him over. Upon closer examination I realize that it wasn't a wound at all but some substance on him. I grab the disinfectant and a cotton ball and after sliding in a pair of rubber gloves gently start wiping the substance off of him. I pause looking at it in the light. I place some of it on a pair of large medical tweezers and squeeze it together, watching the substance stick to the two ends. I place some in the palm of my glove and watch it milt in my glove.

"What are you doing?" Chrissy's voice echoes through the room, I turn looking at her "and what are you holding."

"I don't know, it was on the cat." I state and look back at it.

I hear the snap of a glove echo through the room and seconds later a hand is sliding through the ooze on my palm. She lifts it up, squishing her fingers together and like I had lifts them up to the light for a better look.

"Hmm." She says and lifts it to her nose, taking in a small sniff "this was on the cat?"

"Yep." I say and look back at him

"Did you get any on you." She asks, looking at me because this wasn't and wouldn't be the first or the last time this would happen.

"A little." I state "I'll disinfect in a moment."

"No. Your going to put this substance in a medical tube and disinfect now." She stars handing me the tube "right now." She adds with a soft voice but a firm look.I place the substance in the tube, getting most of it in and hand it back to her before taking off my gloves. "I'll bring this to Conner and see what he says about it."

Conner was our biology teacher and Chrissy's secret boyfriend. It's not like they were breaking any rules, she was 21 but they still kept it on the down low. I was surprised that they'd kept it a secret for so long, I couldn't tell you how many times I'd walked in on them going at were all over each other in every dark corner. But keeping my comments to myself I nod once, running my hands under the tap.

"It's not burning or funky smelling so I don't think it's toxic." I state and receive a snort in reply

"Yeah because everything poisonous smells bad."

"Okay name me one poisonous thing that doesn't smell bad."

"Laundry detergent." She snaps back as I was now scrubbing my hands with strong yellow disinfect that doctors use.

The little scrubby turning my fingers and palm red. I roll my eyes as she dumps some on a towel and uses it to clean down the apparently not clean cat. What I was wondering was how the hell we'd both missed it before, I swore I'd checked him head to toe in the examination.

"It's only poisonous if you drink it." I state

"You didn't say you had to drink it." she snaps back just as quickly

I cock my head in agreement as I wash off the disinfect and soap up once more to begin the process once more.

"Once more should be fine than go and eat something because I know you haven't."

She pops the sealed tube in her bag

"I'm going to Conner's to get what ever this crap is looked at." She walks over, grabbing my cheeks in her thumb and forefinger "if you feel even the slightest bit different CALL ME."

She growls darkly as yet again I'd had a habit of pushing my physical health aside for other things.

"Okay." I state and receive a kiss on the forehead

"I'll be back in a few hours."

I nod once and wash off the soap, while I did this I look back at the cat in the mirror. Watching it's little chest rise and fall.

"Why do I get the feeling I've just opened Pandora's box?" I whisper and shake my head when I realized he won't answer.

(Chrissy's POV)

"Where did you find this?" Conner asks, I pause looking up at my boyfriend.

He was leaned over a microscope, gloved on and his fingers on the small dial. I bit my lip and tried to banish all the naughty thoughts running through my mind. God he looked sexy in his lab coat. Memories of me wearing that lab coat follow after and I blush, clearing my throats as I realize he's still waiting for an answer.

"It was on the cat that Sophia brought home." I answer in a semi relaxed voice. I shake my head and continue pouring the drinks.

"This was on a cat?" My head snaps up and I place the mug on the counter

"Why? Is it toxic?!" I ask and rush over "please don't tell me it's toxic, Sophia got some on her hand."

He chuckles... im freaking out over here and he chuckles. God I could kill him...

"I don't think is toxic babe." He stated and slides back "take a look." I place myself on his lap and pull my shoulder length blonde hair over my shoulder and look in. The black stuff seemed to be moving and stopping then moving again "I'm not sure what this is to be honest ." He stated hands on my hips "it moves like a symbiosis yet it's not and everything I've placed it on resolved with in a few minutes." I pull back as he places the next slid under the micro scope and I look in "this was a leaf that I placed it on, nothing special just an elm leaf and look at it."

"It looks like it's eating it." I state and pull back when he tugs gently, he spins the lens to a stronger one

"That's what I thought to but look at this." I lean forward "the leaf isn't decinegrating like I thought it's actually changing and shifting into something else." I watch as the leaf cells absorb the black liquid and change, shifting and milling into something new before vanishing."

I lean back.

"But Sophia got some on her hand." I whisper like someone had just died.

Was my best friend from birth going to die on me? Was I about to lose her because she was to kind? What twisted fate was this. "Well we can bring her in and take some blood samples but other than that I can't do much until I know more." He sighs and writes more stuff in his lab book

"did she say anything about it."

"No she didn't." I sigh and stand up "she only said it seemed harmless, as both the cat and her seem fine."

"I think I want to take a sample of he cat too." He states and writes some more notes "if this started from him I might need something to make an antidote." He pulls off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose "I can take this up with my friends at work, unless you want to wait?" He looks at me "this could be really bad or really good but at the moment I can't tell."

I place the cup of tea in front of him and sit on the stool beside him, quietly blowing away the steam.

"Okay, should I call Sophia in then or are you coming over?"

"I think I should head over."

(Klarion pov)

I opened my eyes once more. To an empty room and an empty bed, my fingers scraping along the soft sheets not the orange fur I'd lived with for more millenniums than I wanted to count. That little fur ball showed me more kindness than I deserved, in my heated rage I'd often blame Teekl for things out of his control. Calling the cat horrendous names and throwing things at him once and a while but even so, under all that hate the cat would comeback. Crawling on its belly in case I decided to throw something again, Teekl would slid across the floor, freezing every time I looked in his direction and when I'd look away he'd move once more.

I'd turned it into a game by now, snapping my head quickly in his direction and watching Teekl freeze, watching this the smile would come on my lips, no matter how hard I tired and eventually Teekl would end up on my lap, nudging his head into my palm in a sort of a apology that I should have been giving him. He'd lick my hand or my wounds I'd received from my father and wait while they healed. He'd been with me through everything and this is how I repay him, by losing him in some random dimension.

I sighed running a hand through my head. Where should I even begin? The vortex had an infinite amount of realms, and hundreds of multi dimensional realms onto of that and different versions of the worlds on that. Fathers charms were still on the door and I still wasn't powerful enough to find my familiar. The sickest joke was I couldn't and probably wouldn't be strong enough to find Teekl without Teekl.

This seemed to be the greatest sort of karma.

God, sometimes I hated being the lord of chaos. Sometimes I wish my father hadn't created me from the fabric of the universe. I always was and always would be the son he never wanted. And I would always follow his words, trying and failing to get any sort of approval from him. I curled into the pillow of my bed, the silk sheets wrapping around my sweating body. I felt like half my life was gone and it got worse each day. I wanted to sleep, to force myself to sleep. Wait a few days until dad gives me the approval to find my familiar, I only hope I still have enough magic to do it.

"Teekl..." I whine into the pillow.

(Sophia pov)

"Ow." I state in a flat voice, looking at the man stabbing a needle into my arm.

I was sitting in the kitchen while professor Conner took a sample of my blood, he'd taken from some the cat and moved on to me.

"Well it wouldn't hurt so much if your stop moving." He answers with the same annoyance I sent his way.

I sigh once and slam my head into the table, not hard but enough to show I wasn't happy to be doing this.

"Sophia the more you move the more I'll miss your vein." Professor Conner states once more, I lift my head up and look at him with the most bored expression I could manage. Seconds after I feel a hard slap to the back of my head my head hits my arm once more.

"Ow fuck!" I groan and rub the back of my head

"Sophia you were exposed to some unknowns substance stop bitching and let Conner take your blood. Do you wanna die?"

I look at her and sigh, clenching my fist to push out my larger vein. Conner smiles softly, tapping my arm a few times and slowly pushed the tip in. It still burned but I held still and let him take his samples. First a small one and then a larger one a few times before pulling out the needle and pushing on the small hole with a cotton ball. I hold the cotton ball myself and let him clean up, he labels the vials and places them on the table before pushing some onto a slid. Just a drop before squishing two pieces together and slide them under the microscope. Chrissy removed the cotton ball, placed another one in its place and taps it to my arm.

"See, that wasn't so bad." She teases and slides the cap on the needles before placing them in a sealed bag to be disposed of at the university. Conner says nothing, just scribbling notes on his note pad and humming to himself every few moments and scribbling more. I wasn't sure if his silence was better or worse than knowing what he was writing.

"Well?" Chrissy asks after a moment, the silence finally getting to her

"I'll have to run a few more tests." Conner says with out looking up.

"So I'm dying right." I state and take a sip of my tea "I have to take a few more test is every doctors way of saying your dying but I want to be certain that your dying."

"No, it just means I need to take a few more tests." The annoyance was back, now on his face and voice. A tone that brought a smile to my face as I knew I was getting under his skin.

"But it's not good either right?" Chrissy asks "because if she was fine you'd say she was fine and you didn't, you said you needed to take more tests which means she could be sick, but how sick."

"Chrissy!" I snap, cutting her off Chrissy has a nervous habit of babbling when she got nervous or stressed and now she was both "Relaaax." I drag the word out to calm her down.

It seems to the trick as like a child Chrissy sits on the couch, stick straight, hands folded in her lap as she looked at me for what to do next. I rolled my eyes and sat down, ignoring the weird look Conner sent Chrissy and took a sip of my tea. I groan and rub my temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"Sophia, are you alright?" Conner's voice asks but I can hardly focus on that as the room starts spinning.

(Chrissy's POV)

"Sophia are you alright?" Conner asks, my head snaps up as Sophia's body slumps backward.

I shriek, jumping forwards, doing a belly flop on the floor but my arms catch Sophia's body and most importantly head as she falls off the tall bar stool. Conner is there moments after, his hand on her head. His eyes widen as he slides his fingers to her neck, before putting his head over her mouth

"Damn it she's not breathing." He states

"Fuck Conner do something!" I yell loosing my composure completely.

Sophia had always been the calm one, the one that kept a level head in tricky situations. She was the younger sibling and here I was loosing my cool when I should be the one in charge. Conner pulls me back, tilts back her head and starts CPR. I wanted to move, wanted to do something but I sat there, half in fear and half in confusion. One moment she was fine and the next she fucking keels over and dies?! **What the hell was going on?!**

"Christina!" Conner yells again, snapping me out of my thoughts "Call 911!" He yells at me, I scramble up to grab my phone off the counter.

My fingers were shaking so badly I could hardly unlock my phone.

(Sophia POV)

I was floating.

Floating on air, the kind of weightless floating you do when your half asleep. When I came to I was still floating, Conner was over top of me, pushing down on my chest.

"Come on Sophia breathe," he kept chanting it over and over.

I turn my head to see a hysterical Christina on the phone, God that'd be a mess to deal with. I wanted to call out, to tell them I was fine but I couldn't because when I moved a different me moved. My other body, Conner and Chrissy stayed put, reenacting a play that I was watching from a far moments before the floor gives out and like falling down a trap door I find myself somewhere else.

Then before I could even scream I was standing, in a large lush library with thousands of books. My head tilted up to see the rows upon rows upon rows of books, I could walk for hours and not see an end to it, a part of me wanted to walk into the lush library but before I could the door closes, blocking my view and I turn to see a smaller library with a lush chair and a fire place roaring away. the crackling of sparks as they fell towards the carpet before vanishing, like being in a trance I walk toward the fire, slowly, carefully, enticed by the flames like a child with a infant looking at their parents for the first time. With a particular large spark I jump, snapping out of the trance and turn, finally noticing a head sitting in the lush chair before me, I move closer trying to see a face but each step I take feels heavier than the next and this force wraps itself around my chest, pulling me backwards as I try to move forwards, the person was so close, so close I could touch them and then I'm falling. Falling through a sea of clouds, out of the library and back to our apartment.

My eyes snap open as I gasp, my chest arching in pain and the need for oxygen and I find two people kneeling over me with a defibrillator and a blue air pump. Seconds after hands are forcing me back to the ground as paramedics tell me to stay still and not move. They go on to ask questions, asking my name and age, my birthday and what city I was living in but all I could focus on was my sister, clinging to Conner's chest like her life as ended.

"Sophia." Chrissy sobs in a cheerful misery, clutching to Conner's chest so hard her hands were turning white "she's alive!"

(Klarion's POV)

I sat in my Astral plane, contemplating what to do. I'd already combed though my collected knowledge five times. The knowledge of all my millenniums on this world and sigh. The book sliding from my hands and is magically gone before it hits the floor. None of this was helping. I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning towards the fire, hoping it would give me some sort of help but instead of peace I find my eyes snapping open. Feeling the presence of another so close. Had Teekls presence found me?!

"Tee-" I shout and stop, when I find myself staring at an empty room.

Ooooh, Sophia just entered Klarion's astral plane, Interesting...

Peace out Lovely's!

xxxxTheJonesStoriesxxxx


	3. What happened to the cat

Sophia's POV

The smell of disinfectant was strong; it wafted down the hallways and into my room. Thankfully I'd already emptied my stomach this morning or the smell would have me running to the hospital. Christina and Conner were outside talking, the doctors were stumped. No one could figure out why I'd died and even though I had flat lined for twenty minutes I was showing no signs of brain damage or lasting trauma.

I was a medical mystery.

The doctors wanted to keep me for another twenty four hours just to make sure I had no lasting damage but legally they couldn't, I'd been here for five days already and they'd found nothing that was at all concerning. I hadn't told anyone about the cat or the black substance because I wasn't sure what Conner or Christina had said but neither had stepped foot into my room after the ride to the hospital.

Physically I was fine but my senses seemed to be going haywire. Sometimes I could hear the lights vibrating down the hallway, or hear the wheels on the janitors cart rolling down the second floor. Other times I could smell the cafeteria food on the first floor or see a bird flying slow motion outside my hospital window. Then just as I was certain I was all but losing my mind everything would return to normal, the smells would fade and the world would snap back to the same speed it was before. The only evidence that told me it every happened was the small dull burning of my hand, the one that had touched the mysterious black liquid. I was looking at my hand when the door opens.

"Hey" Conner says, poking his head into the room "How are you doing?"

"Like you really care?" I say back, not in a mean way but not overnice either.

"I'm sorry, Christina was a mess, and I didn't want to leave her till I knew she'd be alright."

I look at the bed, half in annoyance and half in understanding.

"She's not here?" I ask, though pointless as I knew, I couldn't smell her perfume anymore; it had vanished five minutes ago.

"No, she went home. She wanted everything to be in order when you got there."

"I'm fine Conner, nothings broken." I state, like a pregnant wife being babied by her husband.

"You died Sophia, for twenty minutes. The paramedics were ready to call it."

The pain behind his words struck me dead, I was so angry at them for not coming I hadn't thought about how scary that must have been for not only Christina but Conner, the one forced to keep calm and in control.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you what happened but even I don't know."

If I looked down I would have noticed I was subconsciously rubbing my hand again but I didn't and couldn't as Conner takes both my hands in his.

"Don't apologize. I'm just glad you're okay." Conner whispers, placing a kiss on my forehead, one hand behind my head like a father would do before he pulls back "I'll sign the last if your papers so you should grab your things."

I didn't have much, only a few books, some crossword puzzles and my phone, the charge was still plugged into the wall. I look at him, nodding once slowly, his reactions were odd to say the least but I guess, after being with Christina for four years and seeing me on and off there was at least a little connection between us. Plus, he was the best teacher at our school anyway. I lean back, grabbing my phone to unlock the screen. I had one message, an email to be accurate.

* * *

"I cannot believe her!" Christina growls, we were at home, and after receiving the okay, had cracked open a bottle of wine.

"What's going on?" Conner asks, rounding the corner from the bathroom.

"I received a message from our Aunt this morning," I reach back, pulling my phone form my back pocket and unlock the screen "Christina told her what happened and this is what she sends me," I click on the message "Glad you're not dead, next time don't be so stupid."

Conner stops, the glass half frozen from his lips as he swallows his sip roughly.

"Well… uh, she seems nice?"

"She's an ass." Christina growls again "She's never cared about us or anyone after the accident…"

"Well she did lose her sister." I defend

"We lost our parents."

I wanted to argue but the fire in her eyes told me nothing I say would matter, our pain was worse than hers. I cock my head to the side as Conner takes a swig of a beer.

"I think Chrissy's right, she could have at least been a bit nicer." He states calmly, placing himself down on the couch beside her "What you went through wasn't an easy thing, for any of us."

Chrissy snuggles into his side comfortably as I reach forwards; scanning through the impressive selection of movies Chrissy had pulled from the case in her bedroom.

"Enough talk about her, she's an ass; I'm fine, we're all moving on from whatever that was and I want to watch a movie."

I take another sip of wine as I pull out an action movie. I really wanted to watch something violent but my hand froze, I quietly glance back at Chrissy, deciding against the action and all the killing, I doubt she could handle it right now and instead pull out one of her favorite chick flicks. She had so many. Finding the one I could stand the most and crack open the case, easily sliding it into the machine before I snuggle up on the couch and the blanket Conner places on my lap.

* * *

"Alex, please don't do this!" the tearful main actress sobs, clutching onto her partners shirt "Don't leave, I love you."

"I'm sorry grace, but I have to do this, for us, it's the only way,"

I roll my eyes as he pulls out a sword, ready to march down to the impending army that Grace's father had sent. My eyes falling on my almost empty glass of wine, my eyes fell on it and to the kitchen table where the half empty bottle sat, my eyes fall of Christina, tears were rolling down her face as proof that she got way to into these movies, and judge her glass.

"Chrissy, you want any more wine?"

Before I could finish the sentence she shushes me loudly, swinging a finger in my direction before its back on her face, a tissue clutched between her fingers as the two main characters share a painful kiss before the battle.

"I'll take another beer if its not too much?"

He would have gotten it himself and probably my wine but during the movie Christina had shifted and was all but sitting on his lap like he was part of the couch. I chuckle once, taking the empty beer can from his hand and stand up, careful not to block the Tv and move the kitchen. I set down my cup, reaching into the fridge for another beer; I crack it open and place it on the counter before reaching into the freezer for some ice. I know it was weird but Christina hates cold wine so I just use ice to avoid an argument and grab the bottle, easily pouring it into the glass. My eyes watch the stream of red wine pour into my cup and I feel my eyes wander from the stream, to the cup and finally to my hand. The burning had come back, not a lot or in a painful way but looking at it brought back memories of that night, the strange weather, the strange black liquid and the room with the person sitting in the chair. I never say his face but couldn't help the feeling bubbling up in my chest, it was like a child wanting to peek at their presents, my body burned to find out who he was-

"Sophia!" Conner yells, snapping me out of my thoughts "What are you doing?"

I gasp, tipping the bottle up right. I had filled up my glass and poured about half the bottle onto the counter top.

"Shit!" I say, trying to place the bottle on the counter and watch as it falls to the ground, smashing into little pieces all around me.

"Okay, don't move, that's glass." Conner states, handing me a towel for my hand.

"I'll get the mop!" Christina shouts, dashing down the hallway.

Conner takes off his sweater, almost swinging it around off his shoulders like a Spanish bull fighter before putting it on the counter top and over the wine.

"Conner!" I gasp as he had now ruined a perfectly good jacket.

"Don't argue, put your hand on the table and pull yourself up out of the glass and be careful not to slid your feet, I don't want to be pulling shards of glass out of them."

The sweater had soaked up most of the wine and allowed me to push myself up onto the island without getting dirty. Once on top Conner grabs my waist and helps me back onto the floor.

"Are you okay? Are you bleeding?"

I didn't have time to answer as he set me on a stool and was examining my feet, gently lifting up my legs to place them into the light above the stools.

"Sophia what happened? Are you okay?" Christina asks, now entering the room with shoes on and a mop in hand "Are you feeling woozy? The doctors said it was a possibility! Do we have to take you back to the hospital?! Do you need some medication?! Or some sleep?! Do you need to lay down?!"

Christina was firing questions off like a solder with a submachine gun, her voice directed to me but her eyes on the floor as she mopped up the mess.

"You guys I'm fine!" I say, gently tapping Conner's forehead with my finger, the action knocks him backwards and he finally lets go of my feet, content that I'm not bleeding "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about things and got distracted."

"Well, being distracted is fine, as long as that's all it is." Conner states

"What do you mean, if that's all it is?" I ask

"Sophia." He takes my hands once more "you died, that's not an easy thing to go through and sometimes even harder to except, all of us are shaken by what happened, if you're scared or want to talk to someone were here for you."

"Yeah," Chrissy states, now coming around to counter as well, she places a hand on my shoulder a small smile on her features "You can talk to us if you need too."

I was going to push it off, tell them I was fine when i was struck with a thought.

"Uh, guys?" I whisper, looking between Christina and Conner "... What happened to the cat?"

"..."

Read and Review. Peace!

xxxxTheJonesStoriesxxxx


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